Updated 12:54 pm, Thursday, August 22, 2013

A Bryan forklift driver received his direct deposit paycheck in February, and now he's in hot legal water.

It would have been a normal transaction had he received the $992.75 he was supposed to get, Bryan police said. But officials at Texas Steel Conversion mistakenly issued Cesar Jaime Saldivar a paycheck for $99,275, and now they want it back.

Saldivar, 25, who was captured on video making a large cash withdrawal, has been charged with felony theft ($20,000 to $100,000), according to a probable cause statement from the Bryan Police Department.

When they realized the mistake, Texas Steel Conversion employees went to Saldivar's home to make arrangements to return the money, investigators said. They didn't find him there so they connected with him later on the telephone.

"(The employee) reportedly talked to Saldivar for over 15 minutes and attempted to convince him to return the money," according to the probable cause statement. "He explained to Saldivar that if he returned the money he could avoid any legal action."

According to the document, "Saldivar stated he felt like he did not do anything wrong, he did not have all of the money and needed some time to figure it out."

Bryan police were willing to help.

Investigators pored over bank records and determined that Saldivar opened a Wells Fargo money market account, in which he deposited $53,221.79. Out of the $99,275 paycheck, $38,450.86 was deducted for federal income tax, and $6,154.52 was deducted for Social Security, police said.

Four days later on Feb. 5, Saldivar made two withdrawals - for $20,000 and $25,000, according to investigators. And a month later on March 5, he allegedly withdrew another $2,500.

Police arrested Saldivar on Sunday, and he was released after posting a $10,000 bond.

If convicted of the felony theft charge, he faces up to 10 years behind bars.